This document presents a coordinated 5-year development roadmap for Perry Stokes Airport, outlining projects that require partnership between Pinnacle Jet Centers and Las Animas County. Use the navigation boxes below to jump to detailed sections, or click any project in the timeline to see its full description. The color-coded timeline shows who is responsible for each initiative: blue for private investment, green for County projects, purple for joint partnerships, and orange for grant-funded work.
Click any project bar to jump to its detailed description
Further development of the historic Perry Stokes Airport will require a coordinated effort between business stakeholders and public entities. This proposal provides a 10 year development roadmap with key milestones that are needed to create new economic opportunities at and near the airport. The milestones in this report are a mix of private and public development efforts.
Our vision for Perry Stokes airport is to create opportunity. By reducing the infrastructure, business incentive, and aviation service barriers to growth, we believe development will occur. The milestones established in this report are intended to encourage general, commercial, and military aviation utilization that will benefit our community and fund continued airport growth.
By 2035, conditions are set to pursue more advanced aviation opportunities, such as a flight for life base, boutique passenger air service, or vocational flight and maintenance training.
The last two years have shown significant growth across General, Business, and Military Aviation segments. However, further growth is limited by a number of infrastructure and service factors:
Commercial Air Service at Perry Stokes Airport is a long term vision requiring 10-15 years of sustained investment and demonstrated growth. This section establishes the realistic framework for achieving scheduled passenger service while setting appropriate expectations.
| Essential Air Service | Scheduled Public Charter | |
|---|---|---|
| Federal Subsidy | Yes - DOT subsidizes operations | No - market-driven |
| Airport Certification | FAA Part 139 required | Part 139 not required |
| Federal Oversight | Extensive - inspections, ARFF, staffing | Standard GA requirements |
| Passenger Cost | Lower (subsidized fares) | Higher (unsubsidized) |
| Trinidad Viability | Possible but highly unlikely | Primary pathway |
Commercial service cannot be solicited until critical CIP projects are complete:
Infrastructure alone does not justify commercial air service. Scheduled public charter flights operate without federal subsidy, meaning fares will be higher than subsidized routes. Service viability depends on sufficient demand from business travelers, tourists, and residents with the means and frequency of travel to support regular flights.
Pinnacle Jet Centers' role: Our mission is to promote development of Perry Stokes Airport for the benefit of aviators and to support the local community. Accordingly, we will continue laying the groundwork for commercial air service from the facility and operations side—pursuing passenger terminal upgrades, generating increased business aviation activity, constructing hangars, and expanding services required for passenger jet operations. This work proceeds regardless of whether commercial service is ultimately pursued, as it supports the airport's broader growth.
The community's role: Only community stakeholders and elected officials can determine whether incurring the expense of commercial-service-specific infrastructure upgrades is in the community's best interest. This is not a decision that should be made by airport operators or assumed as inevitable. It requires deliberate assessment of whether Trinidad and Las Animas County have reached the economic conditions necessary to sustain air service.
We recommend that Las Animas County, the City of Trinidad, Trinidad State College, and Emergent Campus collectively develop a set of community readiness conditions. These specific, measurable indicators would signal that the region is prepared to support commercial air service.
Potential readiness indicators might include:
These are suggested examples of conditions to select. The specific indicators must be determined by the stakeholders who will ultimately bear responsibility for the decision.
| Hangars and Parking | 2025 (Actual) | 2030 (Projected) | 2035 (Target) |
|---|---|---|---|
| T-Hangars | 22 | 22 | 22 |
| Privately Owned Hangars | 1 | 4 | 6-12 |
| Overnight Hangar Parking Capacity | 0 | 3 | 3 |
| Jet Parking Spots (Hangar+Outdoor) | 4 | 10 | 10 |
| Annual Operations | 2025 (Actual) | 2030 (Projected) | 2035 (Target) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Passenger Enplanements | Est 624 | Est 936 | Est 1,344 |
| Business Aviation Operations (Jets+Multi Engine) | 886 (156 jets) | 1,146 (234 jets) | 1,248 (336 jets) |
| Military Aviation Operations (Helicopters) | 668 | 835 | 800 |
| General Aviation Operations (Single Engine) | 7,582 | 9,098 | 12,100 |
| Fuel Flowage | 2025 (Actual) | 2030 (Projected) | 2035 (Target) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Business Aviation Fuel Sales (Jet-A) | 12,376 gal | 24,752 gal | 67,200 gal |
| Military Aviation Fuel Sales (Jet-A) | 155,334 gal | 240,000 gal | 300,000 gal |
| General Aviation Fuel Sales (AVGAS) | 31,364 gal | 37,636 gal | 45,000 gal |
| Annual Revenues Generated | 2025 (Actual) | 2030 (Projected) | 2035 (Target) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Flowage Fees paid to LAC | $0 | $15,119 | $20,610 |
| Ground Leases paid to LAC | $1,351 | $6,302 | $11,304 |
| Sales Taxes Paid | $8,848 | $15,718 | $18,136 |
| Fuel Excise Taxes (Fed and State) | $12,378 | $14,480 | $27,994 |
| Payroll Taxes (employee and employer) | $37,796 | $52,914 | $75,592 |
| Total Fed, State, and Local Revenue | $60,373 | $104,533 | $153,636 |
| Economic Impacts | 2025 (Actual) | 2030 (Projected) | 2035 (Target) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Direct Employment | 5 | 7 | 10 |
| Indirect Employment (CEIS Airport Study) | Est 35 | Est 49 | Est 70 |
| FBO Local Spend (includes Payroll) | $254,888 | $318,610 | $509,776 |
| Estimated Direct Impact to Tourism (estimated $640 per enplaned passenger) |
Est $399,360 | Est $599,040 | Est $860,160 |
| Airport Owned Hangar Monthly Rental | Current | 2030 | 2035 |
|---|---|---|---|
| T-Hangar | $125/mo | $250/mo | $325/mo |
| End Storage Unit, Medium | $100/mo | $116/mo | $135/mo |
| End Storage Unit, Large | $125/mo | $145/mo | $170/mo |
| Ground Lease Rates | Current | 2026 | 2035 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Small Hangar (3,600 sf or below) |
$0.05/sf per year | $100/mo First 5 years, 3% escalation after |
$130/mo First 5 years, 3% escalation after |
| Mid-Sized Hangar (3,601 sf – 10,000 sf) |
$0.05/sf per year | $150/mo First 5 years, 3% escalation after |
$195/mo First 5 years, 3% escalation after |
| Large Hangar (Greater than 10,000 sf) |
$0.05/sf per year | $300/mo First 5 years, 3% escalation after |
$391/mo First 5 years, 3% escalation after |
| Fuel Flowage Fees | 2026 | 2030 | 2035 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Flowage Fees to LAC | $0.05/gallon | $0.05/gallon | $0.05/gallon |
| Flowage Fees to Airport Authority* | N/A | $0.10/gallon | $0.10/gallon |
*PJC proposes establishing the Perry Stokes Airport Authority in 2027. See Perry Stokes Airport Authority project in Part III.
| Airport Fee Usage | 2025 | 2030 | 2035 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Fees to Las Animas County | $1,351 | $21,421 | $31,904 |
| Fees to Airport Authority | N/A | $113,464 | $134,320 |
| Less Forecasted Airport Management Cost | N/A | ($89,000) | ($109,000) |
| Remaining Funds for Airport Capex | N/A | $24,464/yr | $25,320/yr |
Blue = Schedule A (North Pad) • Yellow = Schedule B (South Pad + Taxiway) • Red = Schedule C (Optional)
Green areas indicate planned private hangar development zones